🇨🇴 How to Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa in Colombia: A Step-by-Step Guide (Updated for 2025)

🚨 What’s Changed in 2025?

⚠️ New important updates for 2025 applicants:

FBI (or home country) criminal records must be issued within 3 months of the actual review date, not just submission.

Many are now being asked for a Certificate of Existence or Legal Representation of your employer (like Articles of Incorporation or Good Standing).

A new common follow-up is a personal explanatory letter detailing your remote work, background, and why you’re applying.

No more CamScanner! They want real scans from a machine. Go to a local papelería to scan documents.

Your photo should be taken at a professional visa photo shop (FotoJapon, Magifoto) — many DIY phone pics are being rejected on follow-up.

What is the Digital Nomad Visa for Colombia?

The Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers or online entrepreneurs to live in Colombia for up to two years. This visa is ideal for digital professionals who wish to stay longer than the standard tourist visa permits, which is 6 months per calendar year — meaning it resets every January, not from your first date of entry. It also means you have to leave before the year ends and re-enter in January for it to reset. You cannot stay in the country continuously for more than 180 days.

Most countries get a tourist permit for 3 months, extendable to 3 more. Some citizens, like Canadians, pay to enter as tourists. The extension is free or low-cost (around 110,000 COP / ~$25 USD) depending on your nationality.

👉 Want to extend your tourist permit?
Click here to read how to do that.

For those who enjoy living in beautiful Colombia and want to stay longer, the Digital Nomad Visa is the way to go. It also gives peace of mind for exiting and re-entering on trips.

Let’s see if you can apply for the Colombian Digital Nomad Visa and follow the steps below:

⚡️ QUICK TIPS BEFORE WE GET STARTED

✅ Start early:
Give yourself at least two months before your tourist permit expires to start this process. It averages 30 days, but new document requests can add time.

✅ Get ALL your documents upfront:
Including the Criminal Background Check — every time they ask for more, you get only 10 days to respond, or risk starting over (and paying fees again).

✅ No more CamScanner:
Use a real scanner at a papelería for passport pages & documents.

✅ File sizes & labels:

PDFs under 1 MB each
Name files in Spanish (ex: Pasaporte.pdf)

✅ Employment letters:
When writing your Certificate of Employment, make sure to specify your income, start date of employment, and most importantly stating that you work for that company REMOTELY.

✅ Get a professional photo:
Not your phone. Go to a visa photo shop (FotoJapon, Magifoto) — many are being asked to resubmit this later.

Step 1: Verify Your Eligibility ✅

Make sure you meet these:

🧑‍💻 Remote employment: You work remotely for a company based outside Colombia.
👩‍💼 Or self-employed: Your business is registered abroad.
💰 Minimum income: At least $750 USD/month (higher = better approval odds).
❤️ Health insurance: Valid for your full intended stay.

If yes, proceed!

🤑 Visa Application Fees and Costs

📝 Application fee: 216,000 COP (~$54 USD)
✅ Visa issuance fee: 708,000 COP (~$177 USD) after approval
🪪 Cédula (Foreigner ID): 250,000 COP (~$63 USD)

💡 Total is around $294 USD, paid in stages.

Step 2: Gather the Required Documents 📑

Here’s your updated checklist for 2025:

1️⃣ Passport

At least 6 months validity and blank pages.
Attach your Criminal Background Check to this file.

2️⃣ Passport Page with Entry Stamp

A clear scanner-made PDF, not a phone photo.

3️⃣ Proof of Income

Bank statements or pay stubs (last 3 months minimum, we suggest 6 months).
💡 PRO TIP: Circle income lines for clarity.

4️⃣ Health Insurance

Needs to cover your time in Colombia.
Try Genki (month-to-month) or Sura for local plans (DM us for a trusted agent).

5️⃣ Certificate of Employment or Business

🧑🏽‍💻 Employed: A letter from your company with your role, stating you work remotely, start date, and income.
👩🏽‍💼 Self-employed: Business registration and evidence of activity.

💥 New in 2025:
They now often want a Certificate of Existence or Legal Representation, like:

Articles of Incorporation
Certificate of Good Standing

Shows your employer (or your own company) is legally registered abroad.

6️⃣ Recent Passport-Size Photo

Get it done at a visa photo shop, not your phone.
Digital version provided by FotoJapon/Magifoto works perfectly.

7️⃣ Criminal Background Check

✅ Unofficial but essential:

From your country, apostilled, then translated by a certified Colombian translator.

⚠️ Must be issued within 3 months of the review date (not just your application submission).

Steps:

Get in home country
Apostille it
Translate it
Attach to your passport PDF

8️⃣ Additional Explanatory Letter

Increasingly asked: a letter describing your remote work, professional background, and your purpose for applying.
Helps preempt annoying follow-ups.

9️⃣ Completed Application Form

Done on the Migración site (explained below).

🚨 Final checks:

All PDFs < 1 MB
Properly scanned, clearly labeled
Originals on hand in case they ask for mailing

Step 3: Submit Your Application Online 👽

Go to Migración Colombia and fill out the form.
Upload your 8 documents.
Pay the initial fee.
Submit and watch your inbox.

💻 Tip: They’ll ask you to upload something for every slot, even if it doesn’t apply. Upload a blank PDF with “no aplica” written.

Step 4: Visa Approval Process 🛩️

They’ll email you confirming receipt.
May request more (like your explanatory letter or new scans).
Processing takes ~30 days.
Once approved, you get your electronic visa.

✅ Plan wisely:
Apply with at least two months cushion before your tourist permit ends.

FAQs 👀

How long can I stay?

Up to 2 years, at the discretion of Migración.

Can this lead to residency?

No, as this is a VISITOR visa.

Do I need a lawyer?

Not required, but helpful if you’re busy and have ~$500–$700 to spare. Just note you’ll still handle all personal documents yourself.